Thursday, May 17, 2007

Supplier Ratings- Fit2BeTied & Ralph Alejandrino Photography

Wedding Coordinators
Fit 2 Be Tied
Price: P16,000 (presyong kaibigan…)
Inclusions: Shared Coordination, emcee and unlimited consultation kay Macan J
Rating: 5++

I really love this group. Not just because one of them is a family friend (Macan’s hubby is Mike’s bestman, their daughter Nica is our flower girl) but because sobrang efficient ng services nila. I wont talk about the pre-wedding meetings, and assistance na lang coz baka sabihin dahil kakilala or something. Basta God knows Macan was of great help samin. I’ll just talk about their OTD services. They came in early and they worked hard on that day talaga. I couldn’t trust my wedding to anyone else but them. hindi lang services but yung comforting words, and yung concern, I don’t think kasama sa bayad yun. I know galing sa puso nila yun and they really want us to be happy on our big day.

The way we distributed our souvenirs was not the traditional BM-goes-around-to-pass-the souvenirs on to our guests. We did it ourselves during the pictorial. After picture taking we give the souvenirs personally to our guests para mas warm, mas feel.. hehe… pero we couldn’t have done it without the assistance of our coordinators. They patiently pass on the souvenirs to us for distribution to our guests naman.

Haaay… cant imagine doing it without macan and her group.


Photo and Video
Ralph Alejandrino Photography & Videography
Price: P39,000 (bridal fair price, 2 photographers, 1 videographer)
Inclusions: Prenup pictorial (2 days ‘to… on-location), 1000+ shots, dvd copy (40-minute video), 1 leather album 16x14 (yata…), 2 mini-albums, 1 framed portrait, AVP with free use of projector, screen and his computer, digital sign book
Rating: 5+ for pre-nup, 5+ for OTD services… Output: to follow pa…

During our prenup, walang reklamo si Ralph kahit sobrang layo ng location. And since hindi kami nakapag tight shots sa Caylabne due to restrictions, we scheduled a separate session sa QC Parks and Wildlife, at no extra cost. After 2 days din we got our pictures na. and he gave us everything, not just the best ones. Everybody loved the shots that we had, and the pictures he selected to put in our signbook. It was supposed to be a sign book, but it was so elegant nanghinayang ako pasulatan at mapatakan ng sarsa ng ulam during dinner time… so I just made a separate guestbook and the one from Ralph is in our house as décor hehehe…

On our wedding day, they came early also, and never missed a moment taking pictures left and right, and came up with 2034 shots, to be exact. Nagulat ako when he handed the cd to me days after the wedding, pitong cd! I like the shots. And a friend who’s into photography commented na ok daw talaga yung shots nya (sabi ko kse di ko afford si Jason Magbanua, hehehe… ) I told him I prefer the stolen shots, not much on scripted ones. Pero I also gave him a list of our must haves. He and his wife Tessa are also nice, medyo camera shy kami ni hubby and walang talent sa pagpo-pose pero they made us feel comfortable during the shoots and never complained kahit lagi akong nagta-time out… kakapagod din kse mag smile nang mag smile di ba.. haha… one thing lang, he doesn’t want hmua to put anything on my hubby’s face. Mas maganda daw natural looking, hehehe… ok lang. i agree with him. So I told hmua sa nose na lang para hindi naman makintab…

Another thing lang din is the AVP. Ok lang naman kse hindi naman talaga sya dapat kasama sa package… hiniritan ko lang, pumayag naman hehehe… nga lang hindi sya yung tipong me mga transition pa yung slides. Just the basic presentation lang on his mac. And yung music hindi din nasunod. Which I understand kse sa dami ng binigay kong pictures eh ginawa na lang syang background all throughout the program. So live band na lang yung naging background music.

Im looking forward to seeing our video na nga. Though we havent selected our photos for the album yet. this week... pramis!

praktis... praktis... :)




Wednesday, May 09, 2007

first birthday together in our house



mike's bday is May 8, mine is May 1, his falls on a weekday, mine always a holiday. hehe. so we decided to just celebrate it last May 6.

as part of my birthday gifts for us, i did the cooking of most in the menu myself- tacos, menudo, macaroni salad and marinade BBQ and liempo. Ninang Bi, ate eslyn and mike's mom did the pansit. tatay made the relyenong bangus, mike made the grilled tilapia and angie and me did the pamamalengke and pag-slice ng lahat ng ingredients. grabe, effort..

anyways, despite the pagod and puyat (because we did the marinade and mac salad the day before), our first big event in our house was sucessful. there were friends and relatives and even kapitbahay who celebrated with us, and friends' friends, too. hehe..

am so happy to know that our guests liked my menudo, and my tacos was a best seller, too!
thanks to mama for the maja blanca, ate rona and ate cel for the ice cream, ninang bi and ninang jo for the cakes, ethel, ate alma, ninang aly and sir osee for the gifts.

and to all who came, you just dont know how happy we were to have celebrated that special event with you.











during my 30th bday...

mike wasnt here, he was in China. but other loved ones were with me naman, so masaya na din :)

we went to Antipolo to attend the mass. but we werent able to complete it because it was getting hot. and si nanay hindi mashadong pwedeng mainitan, baka mag shoot ang BP nya, and the traffic was horrible. shempre what do we expect, sobrang dami din ng tao... so we just bought suman and some kakanin and headed back home. i just cooked macaroni soup in the afternoon for our meryenda :)














Supplier Ratings- Jhune Marcelino Couture


Gowns
Jhune Marcelino
Price: P56,300.00
Inclusions: bridal gown (with veil, veil for sponsors, pouch bag, garter, head piece, petticoat, cord, arrhae, and pillows); entourage gowns (4 FG, 1 Little Bride, 3 Sec Sponsors, 1 MOH, 1 BM, 2 Jr BM, 2 Mothers, Pinya Barong and pants for groom, Pinya-Jusi barongs and pants for 2 fathers, barong rental for 3 Sec Sponsors and 1 dress up gown or desposada & free use of fitting form
Rating: Bride, groom, MOH, Sec Sponsors, FG, mothers and fathers attire- 5++ (except for the petticoat, it was very embarrassing!); Jr BM and BM- 3; Services- 3

I have said in my previous posts that Jhune Marcelino Couture was a great find. It was true naman, considering the kind of fabric used in my gown and the style and the services by Aling Magda. They used duchess satin for my gown, and that very elegant looking beaded imported lace on the bodice and the beaded lace scattered on the entire gown, the hem and the tahi at the back (don’t know what its called but it’s the tahi connecting the fabric, closing the back side and since my gown had 7-meter train, ganun din kahaba yung lace na tinakip sa tahi na yun..). those who saw the gown say that its really beautiful. Some of my friends even joked and told me they’d rent it when its their turn to get married. I really love my gown myself and if I have the chance and if there’s no pamahiin about it, and if its not super bigat, baka everyday suotin ko sya. . Except for the petticoat. I would’ve thrown the petticoat if not for fear of stepping on my gown when I walk on the carpet. It was nothing like what I had in mind- yung parang sa ball gown na hindi talaga mata-touch ng tela yung legs ko, and hindi magiging hindrance sa paglalakad ko. it was just like a half slip with a soft cardboard sa may laylayan. As in nung nakita ko sya parang whaaattt? Eto na ba yun? Pero sinuot ko pa din thinking it would save me from falling. Kaso yun nga it wasn’t of any help, aside from being just a half slip. I was too tired na lang and was running out of time to take it off.

3 lang ang binigay kong rating for the Jr BM and BM’s gowns. Disaster yung gown nung isang Jr BM. She looked so short sa gown nya, kse niremedyuhan lang yun ni Aling Magda. Originally, maikli ng several inches yung skirt (ibang staff ang kumuha ng sukat, because wla nun si Aling Magda). But replacing the skirt would cost them that much daw. pero I doubt… kse simpleng tulle and geena cloth lang yung ginamit. Hindi yung agreed kind of fabric. As in geena cloth and tulle na P20 per yard lang sa Divisoria. Tinarayan (pardon the term) pa ko ni Mang Jhune when I told him what happened to the gown. Hindi daw nila kasalanan yun and if I request for a new gown, additional bayad na daw yun. After that never ko na sya kinausap. Stressed na ko, kaya I told myself hindi na ko papa-stress pa lalo by talking to him. From then on si Aling Magda na lang ang kinausap ko. She’s ok naman kausap. Kelangan lang talaga laging tawagan, sa dami ng ginagawa nya. Yung sa BM naman, medyo masikip lang and kahit ilang ulit na pinabalik balik yung gown sa kanila, di pa din naayos yung sukat. Pero ok lang, carry pa din naman nya. Yung sa Jr BM lang talaga ang sobrang di ko matagalan tignan sa pictures kse naiinis lang ako hehehe…

Services-3. If not for that single incident na tinarayan ako ni Mang Jhune (pero inisip ko na lang na baka mainit lang ang ulo nya nung time na yun…) and for their no-show on the day itself, 5 sana dahil ok naman ang services ng staff nila during the preps- asikaso yung pag repair ng gown ko, asikaso nila ko every fitting, and ok naman most of the gowns ( I love my FGs’ gowns!). pero dahil nga they promised to attend to me sa hotel preps tapos hindi sila dumating, without any notice (they could have texted me), 3 lang. or 2 kung sinulat ko ‘to on that day mismo hehehe…

On the day we closed the deal with Mang Jhune, he affirmed that on the day of our wedding, hindi nila iiwanan ang bride hanggang hindi nakaluhod sa altar. As in they told our coordinator pa na wag sana makialam coz his staff already know what to do- sila magbibihis sakin, maglalagay ng veil, mag aayos ng train habang naglalakad ako hanggang makaluhod, etc… pero come wedding day, na-make up an na ko at naayusan na ng hair, walang taga Jhune Marcelino couture na dumating. I asked Fit2BeTied coordinator na assigned sakin kung may pasabi… wala daw. So she called them up only to hear na hindi makakapunta yung assistants kse wala daw sasakyan. Ok fine. After nun, binura ko muna sila sa isip ko. it was my MOH and a coordinator who assisted me when I put my gown on. Buti na lang mabait si jen, and masipag. Sobang thanks to jen for the assistance. I saw her nakaluhod sa carpet, ikot dito ikot dun… para lang maayos yung train ko… and to think na naka-gown na din sya nun! Haay… talk about sobrang ka-stress stress na pangyayari on your wedding day.

But even then, at the end of the day, gusto ko pa din happy thoughts na lang… pag tinitignan ko yung gown ko and nadidinig ko how my family and my friends liked it… nawawala na yung inis ko.

Friday, May 04, 2007

Supplier Ratings- Delica Catering

Delica Catering
Price: around P125,000 for 300 guests (+10% buffer)
Inclusions: 3-layer fondant light cake, upgraded backdrop and the menu was actually upgraded also, bouquets (bride, entourage, offertory, throw away and car), party poppers, bubble machine (which we used also sa church), doves; and venue set-up and flower arrangements from the stairs up the hall (they have their own event stylists, not just flower suppliers), tiffany chairs for the presidential tables, guest book among others
Menu: Nachos with dip and baked tahong as appetizer, Chicken BBQ, Roast Beef, Carbonara, mixed veggies (+ one more which I forgot na) for the main course, buko pandan for dessert, soup for PS, macaroni salad, bottomless drinks
Rating: 5++

Sobrang sulit po ang Delica. Thanks to Aiza and Ding, sobra. Because we booked them during bridal fair in Mega, they gave us a lot of freebies and add-ons. First, we booked only for the P380 per head menu, but they upgraded it to P510 menu with free soup and dedicated staff for the presidential table and for the elderly, free use of tiffany chairs for the presidential table, and upgraded backdrop. I think the basic backdrop is just the gazebo, but we wanted that water panel with tea lights backdrop they used during the fair so they upgraded it.

According to our guests (dahil hindi ko naman nalasahan nung time na yun yung food na sinerve samin hehehe..), sobrang ok daw nung food and sobrang dami ng serving. Mr & Mrs Delica were also very accommodating. They were both present sa event, overlooking things also. I like the centerpiece very much too. Its not very common, unlike yung usual simple flowers lang. I think its also a conversation piece and I think some of my friends took pictures of that because they like it as well, hindi nga lang maiuwi, hehehe.

Actually the package should’ve included bridal car and sound system (and ice carving, but I did not want that!) but we took off them from the list because we have a preferred car and we needed a complete mobile for the live band. Luckily taking those off from the list mean refund of a corresponding amount. Delica staff were also accommodating and very attentive to our needs. And they were kind enough to pack the excess lechon and divide it into two for the Davids and Marasigans. They also gave us the excess wine and our take out bags are still enough for one barangay’s dinner. Sobrang dami ng serving. Good thing, because we were able to share our “handa” to our neighbors who couldn’t make it to the event. The party poppers, I think was also an add-on. We were surprised that there were confettis and poppers during our entrance, which made it grand, hehe..

Supplier Ratings- Christ The King

Church and Reception
Christ The King, Greenmeadows, QC / Parish Hall
Price: P25,000.00 + stipend + P1,500 for pre-wedding seminar
Inclusions: Priest, Soloist & organist, Flower arrangements
Rating: 3; Parish Hall- 5

Since Mike is from Marikina and I am from Pasig, we decided to look for a church and reception venue somewhere in between. And then we found CTK. I would’ve preferred a smaller one because I wanted the ceremony to be as solemn as possible. But the smaller ones within our area are either non-aircon, and are far from our preferred reception venues- which are of course, venues that can accommodate 300-400 guests. So we booked the church and the parish hall last May 2006 and Ms Lily assured us that she would never accept any reservation on that day March 30 other than ours. Things were ok naman during the planning. We go to her once in a while and she’s really very accommodating naman, and we even had our pre-cana seminar there and they let us choose our preferred officiant also. So upon consultation here in W@W, we chose Bishop Martirez and we prepared our misalette for his approval.

So bakit 3 lang? Actually I really don’t want to write something bad about any of my suppliers kse my wedding went smooth naman. But I owe this to fellow w@wies of course, to warn them and give them ideas about the things that didn’t go very well.. On the day itself, we had some glitches with regard to the some things in the church. First, the time we booked with Ms Lily is 3:30pm. But having in mind the ‘Filipino time’, we printed 3pm both in our invitations and misalettes. Apparently, Bishop only referred to the misalette he was given several hours before the event, he went in at exactly 3pm. And at 3:15, even in the absence of a ninong and a flower girl, napilitan na silang magpa-march, because “baka daw magalit si Bishop”. My only sentiment about this is that Ms Lily was the one whom we always coordinate with so we expected that she’d be the one to inform Bishop that the ceremony should really start at 3:30 pa, and not 3pm. Good thing our coordinator really made it sure that we leave Richmonde Hotel just a little past 2 in case anything happens along the way (like traffic, or maybe if there’s something forgotten or left in the hotel).

Second, the left half of the door did not open. I don’t know but since I was always telling myself na even if there were small aberya from the hotel pa lang, still I believed everything will still be perfect. So binigyan ako ng konting imperfection. When the people go in and out of the church the doors would open perfectly. Pero nung ako na, biglang it woudnt, so I just made a little sway on the right so my gown wont get stuck in the closed door. When I was already inside, I stopped for a moment, and tried to walk on the carpet slowly (dapat naman talaga slowly di ba…) to check if my gown and my shoes wont fail me (mahaba-haba din yung aisle nun…) coz in the hotel, they did. They really did, I even tried to kick the gown but I get out of balance. I told the coordinator nga “kinakain ng shoes ko yung gown ko kaya di ako makalakad ng maayos.. goodluck na lang sakin sa church”. I even made some more practices sa hotel room to make sure hindi ako madadapa sa carpet. Going back to my walking down the aisle, when Ms Lily saw me walking slower than usual, she said “sipain mo yung gown mo iha, naiinip na si Bishop, baka magalit na”. kaya I think in some pictures taken nung nandun ako sa part na yun, I wasn’t smiling. Anyways, I was just too thankful to God that I was able to walk gracefully in the carpet (it shows nga lang in the picture that I was kicking my gown… the shoes were showing in every step eh hehehe), and they could not force me to walk faster coz my mother din cannot. She is still under PT due to stroke last year.

Third, I think our bible was not blessed by Bishop. Because when it was the blessing of the arrhae, rings and bible, missing yung bible ko sa altar! They only got it from the bible bearer when it was Mike’s turn to hand it to me (after the rings and arrhae).

Fourth, I don’t know if its just me or what… but when we were sitting/kneeling in the altar, it was hot. I even asked Mike to borrow a pamaypay because I felt I was gonna collapse. Maybe because of gutom and pagod na din, but then maybe not because I know Im used to it already. But when I asked the guests naman sa pwesto nila if it’s the same, hindi naman daw. So maybe sa may altar area lang or maybe because of the lights and lit candle din. I don’t know… and also the attendants of the priest were not as vigilant as I expected them to be.

Fifth, yung preferred songs ko, hindi lahat kinanta sa ceremony. I even gave them the list of the songs, when to sing it and the cd of the complete mp3 way ahead. Even texted them a week before to remind. But on that day, they sang songs na wala naman sa list ko, yung ordinary songs lang. buti na lang Serene vocalist was there to sing in the most important parts of the ceremony- yung entrance ko, yung kiss the bride and yung recessional.

Lets talk about the reception venue naman. I gave Mang Rey 5 because he was very considerate to not let us pay for the set-up fee and additional payment for the use of mobile system anymore. Gift na daw nya samin yun. And also the place was not crowded (and not hot…) even if we have 300 guests. Imagine there were three buffet lines yata and we also had projector and live band and sound system, spacious talaga yung parish hall.